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    Portrait of a Belgian Congo officer wearing a Royal Order of the Lion


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    A picture of the Vice-Governor General Costermans, appointed by King Leopold II on November 20th 1903.
    P1010726.jpg
    Decorations he is wearing:
    1. Officer in the Royal Order of the Lion
    2. Knight in the Order of Leopold (military version)
    3. Knight in the Ordre National de la Légion d'honneur
    4. Knight in the Order of the African Star
    5. Servicestar with 4 bars.
    Cheers!
    GM1
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    3. Knight in the Ordre National de la Légion d'honneur

    Hello GM1,

    I think a French Légion d'Honneur wouldn't be worn as the third decoration in that set but rather at the end of it. So, I suggest it's the Knight class of the Belgian Order of the Crown.

    Regards,

    Hendrik

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    Stuka and GM1, thank you so much for showing these wonderful images. I hope eventually the painting can be identified. Have you tried the Belgian national Gallery ( or whatever is the national paintings repository) and see if the can be of help in identifying the sitter.

    Paul

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    Hey Paul, thanks for your apreciation (and GM1 too of course!!).

    I just removed the pastel from the frame in the hope to find any notes at the back, but there are non(related to the painter, nor the sitter!)!

    The search continues! Might have to try your idea Paul!

    But having the pic out of the frame, it gave me the chance to up load better photos, without having the reflexion of the glass;

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    I also have some photos which are related to Belgian Congo, but I don't have a clue about ranks or dates.

    Perhaps you can enlighten me and give some more details about the uniforms, insignia and decorations/medalsto in the photos below?

    Your help is much appreciated!

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    They are all pre WWI.

    4 & 5 are jager officers who served in Congo.

    1 seems to be a chaplain....?

    2 seem to be a 11 th infanterie regiment's officer, who also served in Congo.

    3 & 6 are pre 1910 Congo officials

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    • 11 months later...

    Just made a wunderfull aquisition thanks to a member of a other forum, who pointed it out.

    Here is a 1886 mod. helmet (named "sugarloaf" by the French!)of the  Congo Free State that lasted from 1885 to 1908.

    It was very high on my list of "holy grales".Never tought I would manage to get one.

    I only know two of them in private collections, never know one on the market.

    I am using the salers pics because they are good and I haven't get it yet........

     

    tropen11.jpg

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    • 2 years later...
    • 2 months later...

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